Microsoft Publisher Tutorials:

The following are assorted tips and tutorials for Microsoft Publisher.
Note that some of these are for Publisher 98, but still hold true for newer versions of the software.

Credits: desktoppub.about.com and Microsoft.com/education

Contents:

1. Menus and Toolbars

2. Dialog Box Options
3. Getting Feedback from Publisher’s Interface
4. Customizing Publisher’s Interface
5. Getting Answers from Publisher's Help System
6. Reversing a Mistake with the Undo/Redo Commands
7. The Building Blocks of Documents: Text, Pictures, etc…
8. How to Create Two Background Pages in Publisher 98
9. How to Insert Page Numbers on Background Pages in MS Publisher 98
10. How to Wrap Text Around a Graphic in Microsoft Publisher 98
11. How to Create a Watermark in Publisher
12. How to Wrap Text Around Text in Microsoft Publisher 98
13. How to Import Word Processor Styles Into Publisher
14. How to Create a PS File in Publisher 98
15. How to Turn Off Catalog Display When Publisher Starts
16. How to Speed Up the Use of Publisher Wizards
17. How to Create a Banner in MS Publisher 98
18. How to Turn Off the Background on Some Pages in Publisher 98
19. Sharing Publisher Files
20. Previewing Your Layout with the WYSIWYG Screen

Menus and Toolbars

Menus and toolbars are actually quite similar because they both let you issue commands. But where menus use
words to describe commands, toolbars use icons—or pictures—to represent the program's functions.

Use the keyboard instead of the mouse.

You can also operate Publisher using the keyboard. Shortcut keys are shown to the right of the command names
on the menus that drop down from the menu bar.

Access shortcut menus.

Right -clicking any object in the Publisher window invokes a shortcut menu containing commands that are specific
to that element. For example, if you right-click a picture frame, the shortcut menu lets you insert an image file.
Right -clicking a text frame instead brings up commands to change hyphenation options or run a spell check.

What is the meaning of the double arrow that appears below menu commands?
The double arrow that appears at the bottom of a menu is a function of Publisher's Intellimenus. Intellimenus are
smart: they display the commands that you use frequently, and hide the commands that you don't use frequently.
Holding the mouse over the arrow on an Intellimenu displays the hidden commands. When fully expanded, an
Intellimenu always indicates infrequently used commands by displaying them against a lighter, depressed
background.
Dialog Box Options

Whenever Publisher needs information from you to complete a command, it presents you with a window called a
dialog box.

Why can't I find the dialog box options I need?

The options you want might be in distinct but related dialog boxes. Windows organizes these dialog boxes with
tabs. Click a tab to bring it to the front of the stack and to reveal a new set of options.

Getting Feedback from Publisher’s Interface

Publisher's tools are designed to provide valuable feedback on the currently selected object or operation. You can
work more efficiently and more accurately if you learn to "read the screen."

Float or dock the toolbars.

Publisher lets you rearrange your desktop by floating or docking the various toolbars. To float a toolbar, drag a
docked toolbar's Move icon (the gray double bars at the left or top of the toolbar) to a new location in the
workspace. You can move and even change the shape of a floating toolbar. To dock a toolbar, double-click a
floating toolbar's title bar. The toolbar locks into position along the top or bottom of the workspace.

Reset Tip pages to reappear.

Tip pages are learning tools that appear on screen the first time you use a particular function, such as text frame
linking or grouping. You can force Tippages to appear for features you have used previously by clicking the Reset
Tips button found on the User Assistance tab in the Options dialog box (on the Tools menu).

Customizing Publisher’s Interface

Like other Microsoft Office products, Publisher offers configuration options to display or hide—and even
animate—many elements of the interface. You can reconfigure the interface to suit your own work style.
Customize Interface Elements
To take this action… Do this…

Hide the Standard Choose Toolbars on the View menu. Clear the Standard command on the cascading menu.
toolbar.

Hide the formatting Choose Toolbars on the View menu. Clear Formatting on the cascading menu.
toolbars.

Hide the status bar. Choose Toolbars on the View menu. Clear Status Bar on the cascading menu.

Switch from normal to Choose Toolbars on the View menu and then choose Options on the cascading menu. Select
large icons. Large Icons. Click OK.

Hide ScreenTips on Choose Toolbars on the View menu and then choose Options on the cascading menu. Clear Show
toolbars or objects. ScreenTips On Toolbars or Show ScreenTips On Objects. Click OK.

Show shortcut keys in Choose Toolbars on the View menu and then choose Options on the cascading menu. Select
ScreenTips. Show Shortcut Keys In ScreenTips. Click OK.

Animate menus as they Choose Toolbars on the View menu and then choose Options on the cascading menu. Open the
open or close.. Menu Animations drop-down list and choose Random, Unfold, or Slide. Click OK.

Turn off Publisher's Choose Options on the Tools menu. Click the User Assistance tab and then clear the Use Helpful
Helpful pointers. Mouse Pointers check box.

Turn off Tippages. Choose Options on the Tools menu. Click the User Assistance tab and then clear the Show
Tippages check box.

Turn off Reminders. Choose Options on the Tools menu. Click the User Assistance tab and then clear the Remind To
Save Publication check box.

Getting Answers from Publisher's Help System

Whenever you need help, Publisher displays the Office Assistant, which can be one of many available animated
characters. The animated cartoon character allows you to type an English-language statement or question about
your current problem.
Use Publisher Help

1. Select Microsoft Publisher Help on the Help menu. The Office Assistant appears.

• Click the Show icon to display a Contents list, an Answer Wizard, or an Index that you can use in lieu of
the Office Assistant.
• Click the Print icon to print the information displayed in the Help window.

You can control both the appearance and functions of the Office Assistant.

• If the Office Assistant is obscuring part of your document, drag the animation to a new location.
• To temporarily hide Rocky, choose Hide The Office Assistant on the Help menu (or right-click the
animation and choose Hide Rocky on the shortcut menu).
• To determine how the Office Assistant behaves and the types of help it offers, right-click the animation
and choose Options on the shortcut menu.
• To remove Rocky from your system, run the Setup program again and clear the Office Assistant item.

To invoke the Office Assistant, click the Help icon on the Standard toolbar.

To invoke the Office Assistant, press F1.

Access Publisher's electronic tutorials.

Publisher contains tutorials that range from a general introduction to discussions of specific functions, such as
layering and the background. To start a tutorial, open the Help menu, select Publisher Tutorials, and choose one
of the available lessons.

Visit Microsoft Publisher's Web Site.

Clicking the Microsoft Publisher Web Site command on the Help menu invokes your Web browser and connects
you to Publisher's World Wide Web site. Once you're online, you can learn about special offers, download free
software and clipart, and access Microsoft's extensive help database.
What do I do if a Publisher tool isn't installed or isn't working properly?
If you attempt to use a tool that isn't currently installed, Publisher displays an alert message and gives you the
opportunity to install the feature. If you discover that a tool isn't working properly, select Detect And Repair on the
Help menu to have Publisher automatically fix the problem, and if necessary, reinstall the tool.

Reversing a Mistake with the Undo/Redo Commands

Don't worry if you click the wrong menu item, inadvertently resize a frame, or accidentally move an object while
working on a design. You can easily correct these and many other common mistakes by issuing the Undo
command on the Edit menu. You can even reverse the Undo action itself by issuing the Redo command on the
Edit menu. Publisher can undo or redo the last 20 actions you performed.
But be warned. Some actions, such as choosing a new data source for a mail merge publication, can't be undone.
You'll also find that once you've interrupted the Undo or Redo sequence, you can't continue to undo or redo
previous actions.

Click the Undo button on the Standard toolbar to reverse the most recent action you performed.

Click the Redo button on the Standard toolbar to reverse the last Undo action you performed.

To undo your last action, press Ctrl-Z. To redo the last undo action, press Ctrl-Y.

The Building Blocks of Documents: Text, Pictures, Drawn

Elements, and OLE Objects

Publisher treats words, pictures, and everything else in a document as objects. A document is simply a collection
of different kinds of objects. Understanding object attributes and how objects behave and interact with one
another is the key to working with Publisher. A Publisher document can contain four basic kinds of objects, as
shown in the following table.
Types of Objects in Microsoft Publisher

Object
Content Description
Type

Text or Text that is typed directly into a Publisher document or imported

Words
Table from a word processing file

Any visual material

Scanned photographs, technical diagrams, clip-art images, pie
Picture imported from an external
charts, and other graphics
source

Visual elements that you Rules, decorative borders, and geometric shapes such as boxes,
Drawn
create in Publisher ovals, and polygons

Any kind of computer-based data: cells from a spreadsheet, text

Objects that are created
OLE from a word processor, pictures from a drawing application, or
by other programs
fields from a database

How does desktop publishing differ from word processing?

Word processing documents are linear: one character leads to the next, lines of text are sequential, and pages
follow each other in a predictable order. Desktop publishing documents are nonlinear. You use text and pictures
as building blocks to construct a page design in any order you wish.
Microsoft Publisher is a desktop publishing application—not a word processing application. Although Publisher
provides some word processing features (including a spelling checker and a find-and-replace feature), it isn't
intended to function as a true word processing application.

Components of Objects

In a Publisher document, each object consists of the content, the frame, and the formatting attributes.
Frames versus Content
Despite the very close relationship between a frame and the content it contains, you must learn to see a them as
separate aspects of the same object.
You can think of the content of an object as its meaning. For example, the content of a picture object is the picture
itself, and the content of a text object is the words. You can change the formatting attributes such as the size,
shape, position, or color of an object without altering its content.
In your own home, picture frames contain pieces of art and allow you to position that art on the wall anywhere you
please. Publisher's frames contain words, pictures, drawn elements, or other objects and allow you to size and
position those objects on the publication page. The composition of frames on the page is called a layout.
Formatting Attributes
We often define objects by describing their properties or attributes. For example, a balloon can be red or blue, a
chair can be straight -backed or cushioned, and a person can be tall or short. All objects in Publisher also have
attributes, and you can alter the appearance of objects by changing their attributes. This alteration process is
called formatting.

Is a border the same as a frame?

No. These two terms should not be used interchangeably. A frame is the rectangle that defines an object's
boundary. A border is a formatting attribute, such as a 1-point black line, that can be applied to a frame. All
objects have frames, but not all frames have borders.

Creating a Frame
Before you can type text, import a picture, design WordArt, or insert an OLE element, you must draw the
appropriate frame for that type of object.
Draw a Frame

1. Activate the toolbar tool that creates the kind of object you want. The pointer changes into a crossbar.

2. When the shape and size of the frame are to your liking, release the mouse button.

Instant frames.
You can create a frame—or any Publisher object—by simply activating the appropriate tool and then clicking in
the workspace. One word of warning: the frames you create in this way appear on the page in a standard size.
You must then resize each frame.

Drawing Options
The following options can help you to draw with a greater degree of precision or align frames with other elements
or guides on the page.

• Draw a frame starting from any corner.

• Press and hold the Ctrl key as you draw to create a frame from the center outward.
• Press and hold the Shift key as you draw to create perfectly symmetrical shapes, such as circles and
squares.
For more information on Publisher's drawing functions, see Chapter 9.

Identifying and Selecting an Object

Publisher helps you see where one object ends and another object begins by displaying a dotted line around each
object. Before you can modify or format any object, you must select it. You can tell that an object has been
selected because selection handles appear on the frame surrounding the object.

Select and Clear an Object

1. If the pointer is not an arrow, click the Pointer Tool on the toolbar.
2. Click an object. Selection handles appear.
3. Click another object or any blank area of the screen to clear the object.

Multiple Selections

Sometimes it is efficient to work with more than one object at a time, particularly when you want to move or delete
them. Publisher lets you select several objects simultaneously in what is known as a multiple selection.

Why can't I see object boundaries on the screen?

In all likelihood, you have hidden the object boundaries. To display them, open the View menu and choose the
Show Boundaries And Guides command, or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Shift-O.

Learn the difference between a multiple selection and a group.

A multiple selection is a temporary group that's created when you select more than one object at a time. As soon
as you cancel the selection of the elements, they are once again treated as individual objects. Publisher allows
you to convert a multiple selection to a permanent group of objects that are "glued" together until you ungroup
them. Grouped objects offer you flexibility because you can treat them like a single object while you design your
publication.

For more information about working with grouped objects, see Chapter 3.

You can select more than one object in several ways, as explained in the following table.
Methods of Creating a Multiple Selection

To select … Do this…

Every object on the page Choose the Select All command on the Edit menu.

Objects that are not close to each other on Press and hold the Shift key and use the pointer tool to
the page, or to exclude objects from the click a series of objects.
current multiple selection

Objects that are adjacent to one another on Use the Pointer Tool to draw a special boundary—called a
the page selection box or a marquee selection—around all the
objects you want to select.

Mix and match selection tools.

You can work more efficiently by using the various selection tools in combination. For example, if you want to
select every element on a page but one, use the Select All command and then use the Shift key to clear the
selection of a single object.
How to Create Two Background Pages in Publisher 98
From your Desktop Publishing Guide

What many programs call Master Pages, Publisher 98 calls Background pages. For two-sided
printing or two-page spreads it is often helpful to have separate background pages for left and
right pages.

Difficulty Level: Average

Here's How:

1. Choose Arrange | Layout Guides.

2. Check the box for Create Two Backgrounds with Mirrored Guides.
3. You can apply separate or mirrored items, such as page numbers to each background page
independently.

Tips:

1. When using two background pages if you want page numbers on all pages you must insert
page number markers on both background pages.
2. When placing page numbers on two-page spreads it is usually best to not place the page
numbers on the inside edges.

How to Insert Page Numbers on Background Pages in MS

Publisher 98
From your Desktop Publishing Guide

What many programs call Master Pages, Publisher 98 calls Background pages. Elements on the
background appear on all foreground pages making them ideal for repeating elements such as
page numbers.

Difficulty Level: Average

Here's How:

1. To place elements on the background page, choose View | Go to Background from the
menu.
2. Initially, the Background pages looks like a blank page.
3. You can place guidelines on the background to aid in placement of text blocks for page
numbers. Choose Arrange | Layout Guides from the menu.
4. To place page numbers on your background page, first create a text box (outside the
margins is best).
5. With the text box selected, choose Insert | Page Numbers from the menu. Publisher
inserts a pound sign (#). Actual page numbers will be on the foreground pages.
6. Apply any formatting you want to the page numbers such as additional text or font colors.
7. To return to your foreground pages choose View | Go to foreground from the menu.
Tips:

1. Elements on the background page are visible but not editable on all foreground pages.

How to Wrap Text Around a Graphic in Microsoft Publisher 98

From your Desktop Publishing Guide

Placing graphics in a publication can add interest but if they disrupt the flow of text too much it can
make it hard to read. Flowing text around an image looks more professional.

Difficulty Level: Easy

Here's How:

1. Select the Picture Frame tool on the Objects toolbar.

2. Create a graphic frame inside your existing text frame. The text wraps automatically around
the edge of the frame.
3. Insert Clip Art or a Picture into your graphic frame.
4. If you're happy with the text wrapping the graphic frame you can stop, but you may prefer
to have the text wrap around the contours of the graphic image itself.
5. With the graphic frame selected, select the Object Frame Properties tool on the
Graphics Formatting toolbar.
6. In the Object Frame Properties dialog choose the Picture Only option.
7. To further finetune the text wrap, select the Edit Irregular Wrap button on the Graphics
Formatting toolbar.
8. Select the sizing handles and drag them to adjust the shape of the text wrap.

Tips:

1. When placing a square/rectangular graphic between two columns of ragged right aligned
text, use a slightly smaller standoff on the left side to visually balance the space around the
object.
2. Align the bottom of your gra phic with the baseline of adjacent text.

How to Create a Watermark in Publisher

From your Desktop Publishing Guide

A watermark is a light-colored, often gray, image or text that appears in the background of your
pages. It can be decorative or it could be used to prevent others from copying and using proof or
draft documents before finalized.

Difficulty Level: Average

Here's How:
 1. To automatically put the watermark image on all pages of your publication choose View |
Go to background.
2. For a graphic watermark insert the appropriate clip art gallery object or other image.
3. For a text watermark you must create the text using WordArt.
4. For graphics, choose Format | Recolor Object then change the color to a light gray.
5. Use the Shading button to recolor your WordArt text to a light gray.
6. Choose View | Go to foreground to return to creating your publication.
7. If your Watermark is hidden by the text in your publication choose Format | Fill Color then
No Fill (or Ctrl+T) so the Watermark can show through.

Tips:

1. If you use text rather than WordArt to create a text watermark, it will print as black text
even if you change the Font color to light gray.

How to Wrap Text Around Text in Microsoft Publisher 98

From your Desktop Publishing Guide

For pull-quotes and other special effects you can wrap the text in one text frame around the text in
another text frame.

Difficulty Level: Easy

Here's How:

1. Select the Text Frame tool on the Objects toolbar.

2. Create a new text frame inside your existing text frame. The text wraps automatically
around the edge of the frame.
3. Insert and format your text as desired.
4. If you're happy with the appearance of the wrap you can stop here, but you may prefer to
adjust the margins for a tighter or looser fit.
5. With the text frame selected, select the Text Frame Properties tool on the Text
Formatting toolbar.
6. In the Text Frame Properties dialog adjust the left, right, top, and bottom margins.

Tips:

1. Allow sufficient standoff between text blocks to visually separate them, especially when
there is not a large degree of difference in the type used for each text block.
2. Align the bottom of pull-quotes with the baseline of adjacent text.

How to Import Word Processor Styles Into Publisher

From your Desktop Publishing Guide

If you want your Publisher documents to match the styles you've previously used in your Word
Processing documents, you can speed up formatting by importing styles.

Difficulty Level: Average

Here's How:

1. Open the Publisher publication that needs the styles you plan to import.
2. Choose Format | Text Style from the menu.
3. Choose Import new styles.
4. Select your word processor from the list of supported word processer formats in the Files of
Type drop-down box.
5. Go to the folder where your word processing documents are located and selected the file
that contains the styles you want to import.
6. From the list of styles in that document, delete any you don't need or make changes to any
of them, if necessary.
7. Choose Close. The dialog box closes and styles are imported to your Publisher publication,
ready for use.

Tips:

1. You can only import styles from supported word processors -- those listed in Step 4.
2. If you've spent a great deal of time setting up special styles for use in your word processor
you can save yourself time by importing those styles to Publisher.

How to Create a PS File in Publisher 98

From your Desktop Publishing Guide

For high resolution printing of your Microsoft Publisher 98 files you can supply your commercial
printer with a PostScript file or use it in Acrobat Distiller to turn your Publisher document into a PDF
file.

Difficulty Level: Average

Here's How:

1. With your publication open in Microsoft Publisher select File | Prepare File for Printing
Service... | Set up Publication
2. Choose Black, White, and shades of Gray or Full Color (see note below) or Spot Color -
- whichever describes your publication.
3. ALL: Select a printer driver.
4. B&W and Spot Color: Choose paper size.
5. B&W and Spot Color: Choose the Show printer marks option if you are printing to paper that
is larger than your final publication (marks show where to cut the paper).
6. Spot Color: Select overprinting options (the screen will explain what to choose for your
specific publication)
7. Next, select Tools | Design Checker. The checker will alert you to any problems that may
make your publication not print properly.
8. If necessary, correct any problems found by the Design Checker.
9. Select File | Print Proof. For Spot Color publications you can Print Color Separations. The
pages print in B&W but a separate page prints for each color used in the publication.
10. Select File | Prepare File for Printing Service... | Create File in PostScript...
11. Click the Printer you want (if not already selected). Make sure the Print File box is checked.
12. Click the Properties tab and change any default settings if needed.
13. Click OK.
14. Give your file a name. Click OK.
15. Publisher creates your PostScript file which you can send to your commercial printer or open
in Acrobat Distiller to create a PDF file.
Tips:

1. Publisher 98 does not support 4-color (CMYK) separations. It will create an Encapsulated
PostScript (EPS) file that most commercial printing services can work with (for a fee).
2. Microsoft strongly recommends the use of only TrueType fonts in your publication and to
turn off font substitution.
3. Too many fonts or graphics and complex effects such as WordArt, BorderArt, and gradient
fills increase the complexity of the PostScript file and can cause printing problems.

How to Turn Off Catalog Display When Publisher Starts

From your Desktop Publishing Guide

Publisher normally opens with the Catalog display that allows you to choose a Wizard. Expert users
may prefer to turn off this feature and bring it up only as needed.

Difficulty Level: Easy

Here's How:

1. Choose Tools | Options from the menu bar.

2. Uncheck the box on the General tab for Use Catalog at startup.

Tips:

1. You can get back the Catalog and the Wizards by choosing File | New from the menu.

How to Speed Up the Use of Publisher Wizards

From your Desktop Publishing Guide

Once you're familiar with working with Wizards, you can speed up the process without totally
abandoning the Wizard helpfulness.

Difficulty Level: Easy

Here's How:

1. When the first Wizard pane opens, choose Finish.

2. A dialog box will ask you to confirm that you want to skip the questions but keep the Wizard
available. Choose Yes.
3. If you wish to always skip to the end of the Wizards, before clicking on Yes, c heck the box
for Skip past the Wizard's questions next time.
4. The final Wizard pane displays with the options to make changes to any of the steps.

Tips:

1. This shortcut is useful when you only want or need to make a few changes or if you prefer
to make changes in a different order than the Wizard normally presents.
How to Create a Banner in MS Publisher 98
From your Desktop Publishing Guide

Celebrate a birthday, a promotion, or other special occasion with a banner you create on your
computer. No markers needed!

Difficulty Level: Average

Here's How:

1. If the Catalog isn't already open, choose File | New from the menu bar.
2. From the Publications by Wizard tab, choose Banner
3. From the list of banner styles, choose a banner type. When you select a banner type, the
matching sample is selected in the right pane of the catalog. There may be multiple choices
so select the sample that best matches your needs.
4. Choose the Start Wizard button.
5. Choose Next in the Wizard introduction pane then specify a length for your banner. If you
want a length not listed, choose Custom to specify another length.
6. Choose Next again then specify a height for your banner.
7. Choose Next again then specify where you want graphic s to appear on your banner -- to
the left, the right, both sides, or no graphic at all.
8. Choose Next one last time and specify whether or not you want a border on your banner.
9. Choose Finish to close the Banner Wizard.
10. You could stop now or continue to customize your banner further. You can change the
graphics, text, or border by selecting those portions of your banner and the appropriate
menu options.
11. To print, choose File | Print from the menu bar.
12. Choose the Tile Printing Options button. In the Options window specify how much you
want the pages to overlap (for assembling the pages into your finished banner).
13. The sample box shows how many pieces of paper are required to print your banner. You can
adjust the overlap to prevent wasting too much paper or go back and change the height and
width.
14. When satisfied, choose OK to close the options dialog then print your banner.
15. Get out the tape, glue, or staples and assemble your printed banner.

Tips:

1. Use the Custom button in the Banner Width pane of the wizard to adjust both width and
height.
2. If the banner is to be signed by people be sure to design it with plenty of white space for
signatures and notes.

How to Turn Off the Background on Some Pages in Publisher 98

From your Desktop Publishing Guide

By default, elements on the background page appear on all foreground pages in your publication.
You can choose not to display the background on selected pages.

Difficulty Level: Average

Here's How:

1. With your publication in foreground view (View | Go to foreground) go to the page where
you want to turn off display of background elements.
2. Choose View | Ignore Background.
3. If you are viewing a two-page spread, a pop-up box will ask you to check which pages to
ignore -- Left, Right, or both.

Tips:

1. Ignore background turns off all background elements for a page. If you want to display
some of the background elements, such as page numbers, you'll need to place that element
directly on the foreground page.

Sharing Publisher Files

alternatives to native .PUB files

Q. How can I share my Publisher files with someone who doesn't have the program?
A. When you create a document in any desktop publishing program, in order for others to open and view the file
they would normally have to have the same program. If they don't, there are ways you can convert your creation
to a format that others can use.
When the content, rather than the layout, is of primary importance -- and no graphics are needed -- the best way
to exchange information is as plain ASCII text. But when you want to include graphics and wish to preserve your
layout, plain text won't do.

• Previous Versions: To share Publisher 2000 files with users of Publisher 98, save the file in Pub 98
format.
• Printable Files: Send the recipient a file that they can print to their desktop printer. They won't be able to
view it onscreen but they can get a fairly accurate print out. Several methods are available although they
do have their drawbacks:
o PostScript: Do a "Save As" from the File menu then click PostScript in the Save as type box to
create a .ps file. This is normally used for preparing files for commercial printing, however, if the
recipient has a PostScript cabable printer they can print the file.
o EPS: Normally used for commercial printing, an EPS file can be opened in many graphic
programs. It normally has to be placed into another program (such as PageMaker or
QuarkXPress) to be printed. You'll have to create a separate EPS file of each page in your
publication. Choose Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) as the PostScript output format under Print
Setup | Properties. Select "Print to file" then print each page, one at a time.
o PRN: Select the "Print to file" box when printing your publication. Instead of printing to your
printer, Publisher will create a .PRN file. The recipient can then use the DOS Copy command to
send the file directly to their desktop printer (From the DOS PROMPT type copy filename.prn
lpt1 -- or lpt2, depending on where their printer is located). Since your printer may not match that
of the recipient, it may not print exactly as you envisioned. If you're exchanging files regularly with
one specific recipient, obtain a copy of the print driver for their printer and use it to create your
PRN file from Publisher.
• HTML Files: Convert your Publisher document to an HTML File. You can then either post the files on the
Web and send recipients the address to go view the files or send the HTML files to the recipient for them
to view offline in their browser. If you send the files, you'll need to include all the graphics as well and
make sure you set up the file so that all HTML and graphics reside in the same directory so the recipient
can place them anywhere on their hard drive. Or you could take the HTML code that Publisher creates
and send an HTML-format email. The exact procedure will depend on your email client and how it is
received by the recipient will depend on what email client they use (and if they accept HTML-formated
email).
• PDF Files: Convert your Publisher document to the Adobe PDF format. Since Publisher has no PDF
export you'll need to use another program, such as Adobe Acrobat Distiller . First create a PostScript file
then use Distiller to create the PDF file. The recipient will be able to view the document on-screen or print
it. However, the recipient must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader (it's free) installed. There are also some
 printer drivers available (see software link below) that allow you to create PDF files from almost any
Windows application.

Previewing Your Layout with the WYSIWYG Screen

Publisher's WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) display always attempts to show you how the final
printed page will look. This on-screen preview provides instant feedback on your design decisions. You can
enhance the appearance of Publisher's WYSIWYG display by hiding layout guides and special nonprinting
characters (such as paragraph markers and spaces).
A screen image with guides, boundaries, and special characters displayed can appear cluttered.

A screen image with guides, boundaries, and special characters hidden accurately represents the final printout.

Preview Your Document

1. Open the View menu.

2. Select Hide Special Characters and Hide Boundaries and Guides.

To redisplay special characters, object boundaries, and guides, click the Show Special Characters and Show
Boundaries and Guides commands on the View menu.

Make use of dialog box previews.

Many of Publisher's dialog boxes contain a preview area that lets you see how the current settings will affect your
publication. For the most part, dialog box previews are not WYSIWYG, but instead represent your design
decisions with simple schematic drawings that are nevertheless accurate. Taking a few extra seconds to examine
the preview can help you to discover and correct mistakes quickly—ultimately saving you time.

To toggle the display of special characters, press Ctrl-Shift-Y. Press Ctrl-Shift -O to toggle the display of
boundaries and guides.